Mushroom foraging laws in District of Columbia

Summary

Much District parkland, including Rock Creek Park, is run by the National Park Service. National Park Service rules ban removing plants, and Rock Creek Park's own FAQ says no one may take plants, berries or mushrooms out of the park. District food rules require wild mushrooms to come from approved sources, inspected by an approved identification expert. I did not find a DC Parks and Recreation rule on picking.

Public land

National Park Service rules (36 CFR 2.1) prohibit possessing, destroying, removing, digging or disturbing plants or their parts in a park area, and let a superintendent designate only certain fruits, berries and nuts for personal gathering. Rock Creek Park's FAQ says no one may take plants, berries or mushrooms out of the park, and asks people to report morel hunters to Park Police. I did not find a District rule for DC Parks and Recreation land; ask DPR.

Permits

Rock Creek Park's FAQ says only professors or professionals with a permit, using specimens for educational purposes, may take plants. No permit for personal mushroom picking is described.

Selling

District food rules (25-A DCMR 705.1, as published in the 2012 DC Register) say wild-picked mushrooms must come from approved sources where each mushroom is individually inspected and found safe by an approved mushroom identification expert who completed a wild mushroom identification course. National Park Service rules also prohibit sale or commercial use of natural products taken from a park. The 2012 text may have been amended since; confirm with DC Health.

Sources

• 36 CFR 2.1 - Preservation of natural, cultural and archeological resources (Cornell LII)
• National Park Service - Rock Creek Park FAQ
• DC Register Nov. 30, 2012 - 25-A DCMR Food and Food Operations (DC Health)

Last verified: November 11, 2026